'Bambi II' Scores Impressive Debut

Early signs are that a direct-to-video sequel to a 64-year-old movie is racking up impressive sales — to the point of handily beating a new theatrical release targeting the same child audience.

Bambi II, Buena Vista Home Entertainment's “video premiere” sequel to the 1942 animated classic Bambi, generated first-day sales to consumers of nearly 800,000 units in the United States and Canada, according to industry sources.

That could put the film on track to hit the 2 million-unit mark its first week in stores.

Retail sources Wednesday said the title outsold DreamWorks' Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, which also came to DVD Feb. 7 after earning $56 million in theaters.

Wallace & Gromit's day-one sales were 350,000 units in the United States and Canada, leading to likely first-week sales of just under 1 million units.

Bambi II wasn't No. 1 at all retailers, however. At Amazon.com, the sequel was ranked No. 5 on Wednesday, a day after it streeted. Wallace & Gromit was No. 2. The three other spots in the online retailer's top 5 were all taken by DVDs not yet released.